AMG///Merc

Always a day late and a dollar short, that's my legacy. Anyway, it occured to me that it's probably best that if everyone does NOT request new information, or join the new SLK55 mailing list, because I suspect that Mercedes Benz may be determining the pricing for the SLK55 based on how much attention it is receiving. I think that if they are getting massive amounts of information requests, they'll price the car higher than if they were getting very little attention. Imagine what the marketing execs at DC would think if absolutely no one requested more information (Impossible and very extreme, but you get my point). Or just imagine if DC learns that the SLK55 isn't genrating anywhere near the interest that they were expecting...

This is a real niche car, and the pricing will most likely make or break this car. The SLK350 is getting great reviews, and I can't imagine how the SLK55 won't better the 350 by a good margin. So I'm pretty sure that the 55 is going to be an awesome car, but the question is going to be the pricing. I think if it comes in around $70,000 plus, like the CLK55, it won't sell very well. If it comes in around $15K less, than they will have a real big seller. Overpricing cam kill a car, especially if there are other comparable models. You know that DC is using all sorts of focus groups to try to determine what the maximum amount is that they can sel the car for, and I'm sure they are using the website responses as one of their tools. Like I said in my headline, it's too late to point this out, but maybe we'll remember this for the next model...


Best regards,
Matt

vraa

They will mess it up.

See Pacifica.

WDRiley

My dealer said that they took great pains in making sure that the 55 is priced around the same as the AMG32, so look for less than 60K

AMG///Merc

That would be awesome! If they can bring out that car for that range, let's say a reasonably loaded SLK55 for just under $60k, I think they'll have trouble keeping them on the lot. I have an 03 CLK55, and I'm debating between the SLK55 and the new M5. Two different cars, but both are awesome. I know that this might be funny, but the decision will most likely be determined by my next serious girlfriend. Specifically, whether or not she has kids. It would really suck to have an SLK55, and then have a girlfriend with kids, because I'll never get to drive it. Now I could just try to avoid women with children, but at 33 years old, women without kids are fewer and further between, and truth be told, I place more priotity on my women than I do my cars. Either way, I certainly won't lose with either car. It should be an interesting few months here...

Imagine the SLK55 with a Kleeman supercharger?!?


Best regards,
Matt

dinko

I'm sorry, but I have to completely disagree with you. MB is not built up of execs who are not educated in Marketing & Economics. They know better than go with what mailing lists say. How do you know that 12 & 13 year olds are not making up 60% of that mailing list? And the other 35% there just to sign up for the hell of it.

This is not the first time Mercedes is releasing a car; and I'm sure they know the fact that the SLK is a class by which it has to stand for. You can't release a SLK class 1 year for a base of $50,000.00 and the next for $75,000.00 - that would just completely turn away a whole other audience.

And besides, ever hear about NetStar, and cars being ordered?

AMG///Merc

As you very well may be right. I don't have a degree in marketing either, so my post was purely conjecture. My assumption was just that if MB sees alot of interest in the car (Much more than usual), they may adjust the price accodingly. Especially since it would seem that the new SLK is a completely different beast than the outgoing model. I cetainly hope that you're right!! Does anyone have any idea what a loaded-to-the-gills SLK55 is going to go for? I'll be real happy if it is indeed in the low $60k range, as it will be very probable that I'll be buying one. I'm also chewing on the idea of an M5, but I had heard that it is going to be signifigantly more than the last version, and it might be too much of a stretch for me. Either way, I win! :p


Best regards,
Matt

dosers

Guys,
the price for the SLK55 AMG is set; it was set as of the end of August and has been available to dealers, but, like the SLK350 before it, is not supposed to be public for another few weeks.
The price is a little over US $62k, BUT this doesn't include the associated fees (delivery is $720 for example). The delay in fact came from a hedging perspective rather than 'focus groups' on this one: While Porsche, for example, has done their Euro-Dollar conversions 3 years in advance, DC (and VW) does not; the price is a gamble on their part as the Dollar is so weak (and has been) against the Euro; while Porsche can survive another fiscal year and a half, DC will loose money if the exchange rate doesn't get closer to their original calculations. It was stated as much on DC's Aktienvollversammlung.

Cut a long story short, if you want all the options (there are only 5 or so availalbe for the AMG), expect to pay around 70k plus taxes and so forth.

The car is 55.150 Euro BEFORE taxes in Germany (that's almost $68k at current exchange rates).
It cost C$82.900 in Canada.

Best,
Dan

dinko

Ever since a few months ago when I heard that the price was going to be about 10% more than a SLK32, I have been sticking with that since.

I expect my "loaded-to-the-gills" () SLK55 to be around $68k - $70k.

If the price ends up being less, I'm sure my wallet will be very happy

CP1

Don't be too happy. I just got my SLK 55 on Friday. Here's the tote board:

MSRP: 60500
Iridium Silver 680
AIRSCARF 350
DVD Nav and high end radio 2800
Premium Pkg 750
Destination Charge 720
Gas Guzzler Tax 1300

Total Retail 67100

On top of that there's sales tax (6.25%), document fee, license and registration.

I was out the door right around 74000

That's a Whooooooollllle lotta money.

bsharp

In the UK I will be paying a total of $76,000 = £40,000 for a SLK350. I appreciate the doller is weak at the momant, but still thats a really good deal considering the Euro/Pound are quite similer and US supplied cars still originate from teh European economy.

steve-p

Don't forget that £6,000 of your £40,000 goes straight to the treasury in VAT. However, that still doesn't account for all of the difference. The base price of the SLK55 before tax is £41,617.02 which works out at around $80K, i.e. 25% higher than in the US, for no obvious reason except blatant profiteering.

paulhu

If you can afford to drive such a nice car, you can afford to look for a much younger women with no children. At age 33, you should look for women in their 20's. I am 50 and I married a young women in her 30's with no children.
Cars can come and go, but wife must stay a Loooooong time.

slk350man

Don't be sad!
Someone paid almost 100k to get a new SLK350 here!

WDRiley

I went to the dealer yesterday in San Diego, and the posted price of the SLK 55 with a fair amount of stuff is 67K. I think you can bring one in for 64K or so, but it doesn't look like 60 is possible, at least here in SD.
I did drive a Launch edition and it was very nice indeed. Unfortunatly, I won't be ready to trade up from my slk 320 until February...